This species is evidently known, as yet, only from the holotype collection, no other material having come to attention during the present study. However, this collection is in good condition and all apothecia are quite constant in appearance. None of the closely related species discussed below has any apothecia with such colours, and L. melanophthalmum would appear to be a good, distinctive species most readily recognized by the colour of the disc, which is black when dry. The hairs are rather short and whitish, but bear variable quantities of a deep amber-coloured resinous exudate so that apothecia frequently appear to be clothed with brown hairs. The spores are evidently slightly longer than in the most closely related taxa, though further collections would be desirable to confirm this observation. There is no doubt that the species is congeneric with the type of Lachnum, and the appropriate combination is, therefore, proposed.

Haines & Dumont (1984) have published a revision of the long-spored lignicolous species of Lachnum. These are mostly tropical in distribution, but the intergradation of spore length with mostly shorter-spored temperate species seems to preclude the possibility of recognizing them as a distinct taxonomic unit. Encrustation of the hairs with coloured, resinous exudate is characteristic of many of these species, some of which are similar and surely closely related to L. melanophthalmum. However, most differ in having longer spores and none of the known species has such a deeply pigmented disc. Lachnum acterotii (A. L. Smith) Haines & Dumont is close to the present species, but differs, apart from disc colour, in having slightly shorter spores which are regularly 3-septate. Lachnum brasitiense (Mont.) Haines & Dumont is also very close, having comparable, often 1-septate spores, but has a pale disc and pure white hairs which completely lack resinous exudate.

Two further species, L. lachnoderma and L. nothofagi. recorded as yet only from the Australasian region, are probably also closely related to L. melanophthalmum. The relationships and status of these species are discussed below. The former is, perhaps, closer to L. sclerotii in having 3-septate spores, but L. nothofagi appears to differ from L. melanophthalmum only in having a paler disc and shorter spores.